Cardiff City Squad Review (11/12): Kenny Miller

A brief look at the individual contributions of all the major Cardiff City players over the course of the 2011/12 season. The 'rating` as given is not purely based on performance but more the impact that player had compared to what we could realistically have expected at the start of the year and given their own standards and reputation.

9 - Kenny Miller

It`s very difficult to review Kenny Miller`s season, his first at Cardiff City and having been rescued from a difficult time on Turkey shortly before the season began. His debut could hardly have gone better, grabbing a late instinctive striker`s goal to beat West Ham away from home on the first day. Further goals followed, but Miller looked off the pace and struggled with his touch at times. He certainly improved and made the lone striker`s role his own after a very good away performance at Blackpool. We largely stuck with that one-up-front formation for the rest of the season, but that was in no small part due to a lack of options rather than success or Miller`s good form.

Miller was tasked with a huge amount of work, and went about the thankless task impressively. His work-rate was good, he used experience to maximise his energy and win free-kicks and a good goalscoring spell suggested he could be the man to lead our line to promotion. However, as our midfield struggled - the goals dried up. Miller struggled for service and cut a lonely figure in attack. He looked much livelier when paired with towering Frenchman Rudy Gestede but his injury problems, and the preferred 4-4-1-1 formation made that a relatively rare partnership.

Miller was desperately unlucky at times, hitting the bar/post on many occasions and becoming disillusioned so that he tried to hard with his shooting, snatching at chances rather than trusting his instinct. He looks ungainly at times, but remains a proven goalscorer with much to offer. With a good pre-season, and better service - he should remain an important player for City next season.